The Native and the White Man (boyxboy)

(4) A Native Maiden...?

Jack's pov:

The ship had long docked at the shore. The crew was now setting the ship in place so it won't sail anywhere, building the camp and cutting down the trees to make a wooden wall around the camp so no animal - or native - could get in and attack the camp whilst the men were asleep. I was given permission by the governor to scout the area for any of the natives, so here I was, deep in the forest, a helmet on my head and my shotgun hung over my shoulder. The forest was quiet, but not too quiet where it seemed like something was wrong. It was just peaceful. The birds were chirping in the branches, the little critters going to their dens or going places to hunt food or to find something or to do something. It was really peaceful here. But I was expecting some sort of native to come up and attack me. I was sure there were natives living by because I had found a spear made from a long stick and tied together to a stone by a strip of fur skin attached with a feather.

I then stopped at a riverside. I could've kept going, but there was something special with the river. In front of me docked at the riverside was a canoe, a small oar placed inside of it. The ship hadn't brought any canoes, and if they did I would have known. But the thing is, the canoe is designed the way natives would design their boats. I wouldn't call them savages because I hardly even know them to say they were savages. They could be people like us back at London who have more... different traditions and are territorial of their land. But then we needed their land to expand the country because London was getting bigger, and to get the minerals from the earth to benefit our living.

Crack

I hear a branch crack as leaves fall from above me. I look up to see the branch fall. I step aside as it fell in a crash to the ground, rolling into the river. Then I hear a scream. I look up once again to see a figure falling. I opened my arms and rushed to catch them, they fell in my arms and I tumbled a bit, falling on my back as I wrap my arms around the person's waist. Gaining my vision, I open my eyes and saw a native maiden...? It looked like a woman - dressed like a woman -, but then I could clearly tell this was a man. Was it a man? His waist seemed so small and arched.

“Are you alright... uh... Ma'am...?”, I asked.

“...I-I'm a man,” they said, their deep - not too deep - and smooth voice coming out like a melody to my ears.

“Oh. Well, are you alright then?”, I asked.

“Yes... Thank you... for saving my life,” he replied, tucking a strand of hair behind his ear. His eyes met mily blue ones, and I've met many natives with brown eyes like his, but his... oh, they shined so bright and were so beautiful I could keep staring into them all day. Then his eyes widened and he pushed himself away from me, running and climbing another tree. I quickly stood up, not caring my helmet fell from my head and onto the ground. I just had to make sure that native didn't get away from my sight. There was something intriguing about him. I want to know more about him.

“Hey! Wait a minute! Why are you running away?”, I asked, running up to the tree in which he climbed on.

“You're a white man. My father says the white men are dangerous. You and your people are savages!”, he says, sitting on a branch and looking down at me with those lovely brown eyes.

“My people and I could say the same thing to you and your people,” I chuckled. “Tell me, what's your name, beautiful?”

“I told you I am a man, or have you not heard me?”, he said, an incredulous look on his face.

“I heard you,” I say, giving him a charming grin. “But I just think you're really beautiful. More beautiful than the women I see in London.”

“...”, he kept silent, a confused and astonished look on his pretty face as he looked down at me. Then he said, barely above a whisper, “Parijat...,”

“Excuse me, what did you say?”

“Parijat. My name is Parijat,”

“Well then, Parijat, my name is Jackson Samuels. But for you, beautiful, just Jack.”

He then climbed down the tree, hopping off the last branch and landing in front of me. I looked down to meet his gaze as he looked up to meet mine. He was shorter than I'd expected for a man. More curvy as well. He almost looked like an actual woman - except that his hair was just below his shoulders. Compared to my height which is 6’5, Parijat was 5’5. Interesting... The way his height is and how looks makes him intriguing. I notice he blinks slowly, and I see his eyelashes were also long. Not long like a woman's, but longer than a man's. He then said, “Then... Jack, you have come with your people. Why are you here?”

“Well, we are aiming to take the land to expand our country,” I reply.

“But you can't! This land belongs to me and my people!”

“Oh. Well, no doubt your leader won't allow me and my men to have the land now,” I say, scratching the back of my head. Governor Richards won't be happy with this, I thought. “but we also came here for the gold.”

“Gold?”

“Yes, gold,”

“What is this ‘gold’?”

“Well, uh, it's yellow and shiny and rectangular, and people use it to buy things,” as I explain to Parijat what gold is, he still seems to be confused. “Um... You know the kernel of the corn? The seed?” He nods. “Well, gold is yellow like that, it's... hard like the helmet I was wearing, and... it's rectangular.”, I say, creating a rectangular motion with my hands to better explain what gold is to Parijat. He seems to get it when his face lights up. Now I know he and his people don't have nor do know what gold is, I thought.

“Oh, I understand now. But... There is no gold,”

“There isn't...?”

“No,” he shakes his head.